Game.



L. JOHNSON, JR. & 0. D. SAWYER.

GAME.

APPLICATION FlLED ocT. 20, 1914.

1,1% ,91 Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

F g-2- F gs- WITNESSES: INVENTEHSI Lunvie JOHNSON, .13., AND ormnn n. SAWYER, or HUDSON, MASSACHUSETTS.

GAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Application filed October 20, 1914. Serial No. 867,681.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Louvre JOHNSON, J r., and YORREN D. SawYER, both citizens of the United States, and residing at Hudson, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Game to be Played by Disks 0n Varied- Colored Squares on a Flat "Surface Something like Checkers are Played at Present, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a game to be played by moving distinguishable sets of pieces or men on the surface of a game board of wood, paste-board, or the like, said surface being marked off into squares of contrasting colors after the manner of a checker board.

An object of our invention is a game whichshall reproduce to some extent the actual conditions of war between two countries or groups of countries, and which shall produce certain strategical problems resembling those of actual warfare. In the form shown in the drawings, the present European war is used as a basis for the arrangement of the playing surface.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description taken in con nection with the accompanying drawings and the novel features thereof will be point ed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of the specification.

Inthe drawings,Figure 1 shows a game board embodying our invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are views in perspective of one of each of the respective sets of pieces of contrasting colors employed in playing the game.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1,-there is shown at 11 a game board on the surface of which the game em bodying our invention is played. An irregular portion of the surface of the board is marked off into checker squares 12, some of which as 12 are colored blue, others of which as 12 are colored red and still others as 12 are left white. This arrangement of colors is convenient and pleasing but not essential, it being only necessary to have checker squares of contrasting colors. The area which is marked ofl" into checker squares as described is conveniently referred to as a territorial area and is made to resemble in outline a portion-of the map of Europe. The territorial area is subdivided by boundary lines 13 into maps or fields corresponding roughly to the European countries contained within that portion of the map of Europe to which the said territorial area roughly corresponds. The'subdivision of the territorial area into the said maps or fields enhances the pleasing effect and-increases the similarity of the surface of the board to the map of Europe. To enable the boundary lines to be made more regular, triangular spaces 14 are included within the boundary lines. In the form of game shown in Fig. 1, two subdivisions or maps 16 and 17 are provided with blue checker squares and are designated Germany and Austria respectively, having a general resemblance to the outline and relative position of these countries. The remainder of the territorial area is provided with red checker squares and is subdivided into maps 18, 19, 20 and 21, and these subdivisions are designated France, England, Belgium and Russia, their positions and relation to each other being in general that of the corresponding countries. In each of these two groups of countries, one square is specially designated as the capital. In the form of game shown in the drawings the square 22 is marked Paris and the square 23 is marked Berlin, these squares being also designated by being surrounded by a circle and having their surface printed in red or blue in contrast to the surrounding checker squares. These two squares or capitals 22 and 23 form the points of attack for the opposing sides, the object of the game being to capture and hold the opposing capital against the opponents pieces. Certain of the checker squares in each country, as for instance those designated 25, are also specially marked with a white dot or some other suitable manner to indicate the starting points for the pieces of each opponent. These specially designated starting squares 25 are in the form of game shown in the accompanying drawings proportioned to the respective maps or countries somewhat in accordance with the relative military strength of the countries.

Thus, England has seven specially desigthe side which he is to play, one player repgroup Which may be said to be interposed between the two groups of pieces of the player representing England, France, Belgium, and Russia. This arrangement adds to the interest of the game as the pieces of Germany and Austria can be attacked on both sides while the pieces of Russia are separated from those of England, France andBelgium.

In playing the game the pieces are moved by the respective players alternately for one square in any direction forward and back like the kings move in the ordinary game of chackers. The pieces may also he jumped over other pieces and the opponents pieces taken by limping as in checkers. The two specially designated squares 22 and 23 or capitals, Paris and Berlin, form the objects of attack andthe game is won by the opponent who is first able to occupy his opponent's capital and keep the occupying piece there for one move.

In the foregoing description and in the accompanying drawings we have explained and shown our invention in the form; in which we have put it into actual use, believing this form to be the best embodiment of our invention, but we do not limit ourselves to the specific form shown and described herein, as we believe our invention to be a broad one and it is obvious that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

\Vhat we claim is:

1. In combination with a plurality of distinguishable sets of pieces, a board divided into checker squares one of which is specially designatedas the object of attack by each opponents pieces, and by the occupation of which by an opponents piece the game is won, certain of the squares being specially designated as the starting points for each of the pieces of the respective opponents, said specially designated starting squares being divided into three groups, one of said groups for one opponents pieces and the other two of said groups for the other opponents pieces, said two groups being arranged on opposite sides of the first mentioned group. 2. In combination with a plurality of distinguishable sets of pieces, a board having a plurality of contiguous playing fields divided into checker squares, one of said fields lying between two other fields, a square in the interposed field and a square in the ex terior fields being specially designated as the object of attack for the opposing players pieces, and by the occupation of which by an opponents piece the game is won.

3. In combination with a plurality of distinguishable sets of pieces, equal in number, a board sub-divided into checker squares one of which is specially designated asthe object of attack by each opponents pieces, and by the occupation of which by an opponents piece the game is Won, certain of the squares being specially designated as the starting points for each of the pieces of the respective opponents, said specially designated starting squaresbeing divided into three groups, one of said groups for one opponents pieces and the other two of said groups for the other opponents pieces, said two groups being arranged on opposite sides of the first mentioned group, the number of starting squares in the first mentioned group being equal to the sum of the number of the starting squares in the other two groups.

4. In combination with a plurality of distinguishable sets of pieces, a board having thereon a territorial area of irregular outline divided into subdivisions of irregular outline to indicate countries of said territorial area, said territorial area being marked off in checker squares and a plurality of said checker squares specially designated as capitals to form points of attack by the respective sets of pieces.

5. In combination with a plurality of distinguishable sets of pieces, a board having thereon a territorial area resembling in outline a portion of the map of Europe, said area. being subdivided into checker squares and by boundary lines into fields corresponding roughly to the European countries contained within said portion of the map of Europe, and two checker squares specially designated as capitals to serve as points of attack for the opposing sets of pieces.

(3. In combination with a plurality of distinguishable sets of pieces, a board having thereon a territorial area resembling in outline a portion of the map of Europe, said area being subdivided into checker squares and by boundary lines,into fields corresponding roughly to the European countries contained within said portion of the map of Europe, two checker squares specially designated as capitals to serve as points of attack for the opposing sets of pieces, certain of the squares being specially designated as the starting points for each of the men of the respective opponents.

' LUDVIG JOHNSON, JR.

ORREN D. SACWYER. \Vitnesses:

FRANK P. ODONNELL, SADIE J. HANNAGAN. 

